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Oct 09, 2026

Löyly: the steam that makes a sauna Finnish

Ask a Finn what makes a good sauna and the answer is rarely the wood, the view or even the temperature. It is the löyly. The word has no neat English translation, which is why guests at our saunas near Rovaniemi so often ask what it means and whether they are “doing it right”.

This is our short, sourced explanation of löyly: what it is, why it matters so much in Finnish sauna culture, how to throw it and how to enjoy the rounds of heat and cooling off. At the end we show where you can try it with us.

Löyly is the steam released when water is thrown onto the heated stones of a sauna stove. UNESCO, which inscribed Finnish sauna culture on its intangible heritage list in 2020, describes it as “the spirit or steam released by casting water onto a stack of heated stones”. The steam raises the humidity, so the heat feels stronger and you begin to sweat.

At a glance

• From: 398 €
• Experience type: Sauna / culture experience
• Duration: 4 hours
• Difficulty: Easy
• Book in Advance: Cut off: 3 hours before start time
• Included: A traditional wooden heated sauna for you to use; A handmade ice- hole for the cold plunge; Instructions on how to safely use the sauna and do the cold plunge; Towels; A Tour Guide in English (other languages available on request: (Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, french, Italian, German & Finnish. PLEASE NOTE LIMITED AVAILABILITY FOR OTHER LANGUAGES) If another language is required. Please send us an email or WhatsApp after booking.); Winter clothing (Adult & Child size), overalls, boots, gloves, socks; Local light snack and drinks; Pick-ups and drop-offs are included in the price in 10 km radius from Rovaniemi city center; Photos taken with your own device; Air conditioned car
• Cancellation: Free cancellation 24 hours before the activity. We will charge a cancellation fee of 100% if booking is cancelled less than 24 hours before the activity.
• Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible; Not stroller accessible

What löyly means

In its simplest sense, löyly is the burst of steam you create with a ladle of water on hot stones. thisisFINLAND explains the mechanics plainly: “You throw water on the stones to increase the humidity. Called löyly in Finnish… the steam increases the feeling of heat and makes you sweat.”

The UNESCO description adds the second meaning that Finns hear in the word: löyly as the spirit of the sauna. That is why a Finn will praise a sauna for its “good löyly” rather than for its size or its thermometer reading. The quality of the steam — soft or sharp, even or biting — is what people remember.

Why sauna matters so much in Finland

Sauna is not a spa extra in Finland; it is everyday life. According to UNESCO there are roughly 3.3 million saunas in a country of 5.5 million people. Traditions are “commonly passed down in families” and also kept alive by sauna clubs and societies.

UNESCO also records that sauna has never been only about washing: in the sauna, people “cleanse their bodies and minds and embrace a sense of inner peace”, and saunas have traditionally been seen as sacred spaces. Finnish sauna culture was the first Finnish tradition to be added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, in December 2020, as the Finnish Sauna Society notes.

How hot is a Finnish sauna?

The sources we trust give slightly different ranges, and both are useful. thisisFINLAND reports that the Finnish Sauna Society recommends 80 to 100 °C. Visit Finland says the temperature is “typically around 70–90 degrees Celsius”.

What the thermometer does not show is the löyly. Because the steam raises the humidity, the same air temperature can feel mild before water is thrown and intense a few seconds after. That is why Finns talk about the steam rather than the number.

How to throw löyly

There is no strict ritual. Visit Finland puts it simply: “There are no rules for how often you should throw more water on the stove.” A few practical points make the first sessions easier — the first from thisisFINLAND, the others our own advice as hosts:

• Shower first. thisisFINLAND notes it is “considerate to your fellow sauna-goers and also makes the heat more bearable”.
• Start small. A modest ladle of water gives a gentler wave of steam than a large one; you can always add more.
• Share the ladle. In a shared sauna it is polite to check that everyone is comfortable before adding more steam.

As for clothing, Visit Finland and thisisFINLAND both say that while Finns often bathe nude, a swimsuit or a towel is perfectly acceptable.

Vihta or vasta: the birch whisk

Löyly has a companion: the birch whisk. thisisFINLAND describes the vihta — “also called vasta in some regions” — as a leafy bundle of small branches, usually birch, which you dip in water and use to gently hit parts of your body. It is said to stimulate circulation and gives the sauna a fresh birch aroma. The Finnish Sauna Society even publishes quality guidelines for sauna whisks.

Cooling off and the rhythm of rounds

A Finnish sauna is a rhythm, not a single sitting. Visit Finland says you can stay “for 5–10 minutes, or for hours with cooling dips into a lake or the sea in between sauna sessions”. thisisFINLAND suggests to “jump in a lake or roll in the snow”, or simply take a shower.

Drink as you go: “You’ll be sweating heavily in a sauna, so be sure to drink plenty. Water is the best thing to quench your thirst,” says Visit Finland. Afterwards comes what many Finns consider the best part — sitting down, cooling slowly and enjoying the calm.

Many saunas, one löyly

UNESCO notes that saunas “come in many forms – electric, wood-heated, smoke and infra-red” and that there is “no hierarchy among them”. The smoke sauna is the oldest style: its stove has no chimney, and once the wood has burned down the door is closed and the embers heat the room — thisisFINLAND says most Finns believe it to be the best kind. Whatever the stove, the löyly comes from the same simple act of water meeting hot stones.

How this shows up on our tours

We run three sauna experiences where you can throw your own löyly, each in a different setting:

• Private Wooden Heated Sauna and Ice Swimming (from 398 €, 4 hours): a traditional wood-heated sauna with a handmade ice hole for the cold plunge. Our guide gives instructions on how to safely use the sauna and do the cold plunge; towels, winter clothing and a light snack and drinks are included, with pick-up within 10 km of Rovaniemi city centre.
• Traditional Finnish Sauna Experience (from 149 €, 4 hours): our summer version with a lake for swimming. Your guide introduces local sauna customs, including the birch whisks known as vasta or vihta.
• Private Traditional Finnish Sauna & Jacuzzi use at Aurora Hill Resort (from 159 €, 1 hour 30 minutes): a private sauna and jacuzzi at the resort. There is no shower — water is heated in a tank on the stove and mixed with cold water, and you wash by pouring it over yourself with a ladle, as generations of Finns have done.

For more on our sauna venues, see sauna events in Rovaniemi, our earlier story Sauna Rovaniemi: traditional Finnish sauna experiences in Lapland, and Aurora Hill Resort in Rovaniemi: our suites on the hill.

Frequently asked questions

What does löyly mean?

Löyly is the steam released when water is thrown onto the hot stones of a sauna stove. UNESCO describes it as “the spirit or steam released by casting water onto a stack of heated stones”.

Why does the sauna feel hotter after throwing water?

The steam increases the humidity. As thisisFINLAND puts it, it “increases the feeling of heat and makes you sweat”.

How often should I throw water on the stones?

There is no fixed rule — Visit Finland says there are no rules for how often to add water. Start with a small ladle and check that everyone in the sauna is comfortable.

What temperature is a Finnish sauna?

thisisFINLAND reports that the Finnish Sauna Society recommends 80–100 °C; Visit Finland says a sauna is typically around 70–90 °C.

Do I have to be naked in a Finnish sauna?

No. Finns often bathe nude, but a swimsuit or towel is perfectly acceptable. On our private sauna experiences, the product pages say clothes are optional and you can bring your own swimsuit.

Can I try löyly and an ice swim with StayLapland?

Yes — our Private Wooden Heated Sauna and Ice Swimming (from 398 €, 4 hours) combines a wood-heated sauna with a handmade ice hole, with safety instructions from your guide.

Ready to book?

You may also like

• Private Traditional Finnish Sauna & Jacuzzi use at Aurora Hill Resort — from 159 €, 1 hour 30 minutes
• Traditional Finnish Sauna Experience — from 149 €, 4 hours

Sources

• UNESCO — Sauna culture in Finland (Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2020)
• thisisFINLAND — Bare facts of the sauna in Finland
• thisisFINLAND — 5 tips for enjoying the sauna like people in Finland
• Visit Finland — 10 sauna tips for beginners
• Finnish Sauna Society (Suomen Saunaseura)